The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-01-01

Child Of Rev. Eljan and Martha HUI
hard Batcheller, Brimfeld, Mass, May ~
1893; eldest Of SIX children, four sons and
two daughters. Eighty eight years and some
months ago! The year Nelson Tough, that
splendid battle Of the Nile, that eItinguished
the French navy. The Little Corporal was
down 10 Egypt and coming home to be made
First Consul. The horrors Of the French
Revolution we're just past. Robespierre'
having helped of so many heads, lost his
own four years before; and Robert Burns,two
years before, had gone to the shades with
bis Highland Mary. George Washington
had yet year and half in which he could
have gone up to see the baby in Brimheld'
II he chose, with o "Trot! Trot! Trot! to
Baubury cross!" John Adams was presi-
dent; Uncle Samuel was, 80 TO speak, in has
prime; small family; small farm. He never
had heard a steam whistle, or rode in rail-
car or steamboat. 1t took him three days to
90 to New York from Philadelphia. (Can
do it in an hour now. AS 1t were antlci
Mating what the Batcheller family and 9th
ers might need the farming area o. T. 8
was enlarged by the Louisiana purchase; and
u few years after OS0O Fulton invented a
sort Of steam padIle-boat on the Hudson,
NJ NOT much account as river craft, but hav-
ing good possibilities and likely to do some
good work in suggesting machinery to be
opera,ed by steam altogether; as the print
ing press. OSli) and finally railway car.
rages, (lo35).
Meantime the baby now six years old, is
moved out into the wilderness OF New York,
Homer, Cortland county, 1904. As yet there
are no missionary societies, bible societies,
tract societies in the known world. Wesley
goes to school, does chores, chops wood and
occasionally looks after the trout with his
fishing tackle. In the war OF 1872, or there.
about, his sister having got religion at camp
meeting in the spring, in the fall he deter.
mines to get that thing himself, camp meet
ing wise. 1t is forty miles to camp, but that
is not much to boy Of fourteen, a.horseback.
The thing has to be done, and WAS done! He
came home possessed Of the genuine article;
n first class Methodist conversion. There is
nothing like going at that thing in a bust
ness way making covenants with the Eter'
nal; honestly and gladly accepting free
grace, when it's plenty It's the right thing
for likely boy to do, who believes he has
got soul in him. Better take care Of it, il
it any use to you, or worth saving.
Religion at tina, day was serious, rever-
ent business, with no Sam Jones in it, or
oyster suppers. Methodism, in particular,
was intrusive, combative, cut into clothes,
and iutoned. The older boys "sot down on
it," There goes that little Methodist amen
The thing went on all the faster, and more
serious.
That fathers house meeting house ana
TAVERN was the home Of ell the way 'faring
class Of preachers. Wesley, in the Presby-
terrain and Baptis, meetings, where his ASSOC
ciates gathered. occasionally put in word.
| n due time he was licensed to eIhort. The
back settlements got the benefit Of IL. At
twenty five he was licensed to preach by dis
trict conference. Meantime he taught schoo
winters, finished his courtship with Patience
(ialD. and was at twenty married man,
(Sep,. 5, 1873. TIVE or three years local
preacher; two or three years financial agent
for Canenovia seminary. As others were
crowding of for Michigan, he proposed to
60, forming colony. They arrived at White
Pigeon and selected their lands jus, in the
time acknowledgements suspended. the sale.
While the others waited the three weeks or
so he made trip to Illinois, having a broth.
er'n.l law David HalD out there. Result
WAS after looking about the military tract a
return to La Sale county. a tramp from Of
tswa to Head erson's on Indian creek, selec-
ton Of an eighty and hasty return to wife
and children, then a start west, Sept. 3,
1886. Horses and wagons, farming imple-
nents and seeds, window glass and wheat,
cook stove and crockery, beds and break.
fas,s are on the road to Illinois. Patience
and aud the nine children, Jos. Benson be.
log uor lar from a year Old
Tie procession did not travel on Sunday
Nrr 50 much on the principle that the Sab
bath has its basis in natural law, as that the
sabbath observance is ordered for mans
higher nature. 1t found ITSELF however,
making better time ON the whole than those
who hurried on seven days in the week
How they baked their own bread on the
journey, pulled through sloughs and escaped
perils, lin one instance q few hours sickness
of Mrs. b. held them back from twelve
miles drive through dense forest where the
winds sent the great trees crashing across
roads, need not be particularly narrated
here. Or how after forty days, October III,
found them on the new purchase. Around
them lay their two hundred acres Of land
for the hoya md all creafion for the Eller